


Known Stranger

by zlwrites



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Depression, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-24
Updated: 2015-11-24
Packaged: 2018-05-03 04:39:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5276996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zlwrites/pseuds/zlwrites
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hinata stays out later and later each night, leaving Kenma worried and hurt. Things have been awkward between the two, to the point where Kenma can't recognize Hinata anymore. He wants to help, but if Hinata doesn't even want his help...what is he supposed to do?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Known Stranger

**Author's Note:**

> Super angst-y annnnnd really sad because I'm just an evil butt (and I had this idea for a good while in my head)

       The door shut closed. Sounds of shoes clumsily hitting the floor roused Kenma from his spot on the small couch. He slowly drew his hands across his face and squinted at the time on his phone. 1:27 a.m. A figure stumbled across the apartment until their shared bedroom door closed. He stared after them. This was the third time this week Hinata came home late, drunk, and without so much of a glance in his direction. Kenma sighed and laid back on the couch, hands covering his face. He was too tired to cry or to even think about how somebody he loved was starting to disappear right infront of him.

      His head hit the pillow with a light “poof”. Hinata was exhausted but his eyes were wide open. All he wanted was to sleep, but his mind was alive with the thought of the look Kenma gave him before he went to their room. It was filled was some sort of expectancy of hope, to be acknowledged, anything and then the heartbreak when he walked past Kenma. He’d seen that look a lot recently. As if he were rolling away from the hurt look, Hinata shifted to the other side of the bed. His eyes closed for a moment, only to open from the sickening sight that played in front of him. A gym filled with people jumping, running, blocking, serving, and spiking. He curled into a tight ball on the bed and began to silently cry.

 

      It had been close to about 9 months since the accident. Two seconds of distraction and Hinata’s car was virtually totaled and his legs broken. He swore up and down to Kenma that he was ok, and everything just looked bad because it had just happened. He was shown the x-rays and told all of the medical jargon, but Hinata’s smile never faded. After a couple months he started physical therapy, feeling way more optimistic than he had, despite the doctor’s news. He could walk, but he would permanently have a limp and the more devastating fact that he wouldn’t be able to play volleyball anymore. His smile dimmed a moment. He still had his fight in him, just because on paper it said that, he wouldn’t believe that ever…until he tried to return to his college team. Jumping was impossible. After running for a short time, his legs were shaking and there was a dull throb of pain from his knees. Hinata thought that he just need to get his legs stronger. Months later, and the same issues were still there. His fight was gone, smile completely vanished, and his heart broken. Within half of a year, Hinata’s passion had been ripped away from him and he could do nothing to get it back. Things around him started to spiral out of control. He lost his scholarship and had to drop out of school. With Kenma’s help, he got a small job at a book store. Whenever he got off from work he’d sit and eat with his boyfriend, but would go sleep right afterwards. He didn’t know what else to do. When the drinking started, Hinata became more and more despondent. Kenma wasn’t the greatest at confrontation, so questioning or blaming just turned into silence. Hinata spoke politely to Kenma as if he were just getting to know him. Kenma walked on eggshells around Hinata to not start arguments. They lived in glass boxes when they interacted and it hurt.

      Each night Hinata came home, he’d half-expect Kenma to be gone. That’s what he honestly wanted. He couldn’t stand to see him so worried over his well-being. He didn’t give a shit anymore. Everything for him was practically over, why did he have to drag someone he cared about down too? Eventually his problems would bleed into Kenma’s life and ruin it beyond repair. He wanted him out so he could move on, be happy and maybe find another person who wasn’t broken. Yet, whenever he thought about their apartment containing just him, Hinata felt much worse than his injury could ever make him feel. He downed another shot, left money on the table and began the drunken trek back home. His mind was torn about hoping Kenma would be on the couch sleep or seeing his bags packed and ready to leave when he opened the door. He was surprised to find Kenma awake standing in the doorway with uneasiness in his eyes. He wasn’t going to retreat to the back tonight.

“Shouyou…we need to talk.” Came a firm whisper.

Feeling trapped, he tried to play it off, “…I’m wiped out Kenma. Maybe in the morning ok?”

Kenma stepped closer, he inhaled. “You’re drunk again.”

His eyes dropped to the ground.

“You’re always drunk when you come home…and then you walk past me as if I don’t exist or something.”

His mouth tightened into a firm line. He needed to get out of there.

Kenma scoffed, “I’ve been kind of losing it over here…worrying if you’re ok or if you’re gonna even come back at all.”

    “I’M OK!” the outburst surprised him even more than it did Kenma. “Geez, you’re making this into a big deal. If I want to drink after work well it shouldn’t be an issue. I’m not a kid who needs your protection Kenma.” He brushed past Kenma, hoping the sting of his words would end the conversation.

    “You’re not ‘ok’. I don’t think you even know what ‘ok’ is for you. It’s every night! This cycle…it’s changing you Shouyou. And I feel horrible I can’t do anything to help….”A tear began to slide down his face. Hinata felt his stomach drop.

“Don’t…I hate seeing you cry, just don’t.”

“Don’t you cry over someone so horrible like me.” He pleaded in his head.

    “I can’t help it! You stumble around like you’re a different person. I just see how much pain you’re in and I can’t stop worrying about you. You’re disappearing right infront of me everyday and I can’t do a damn thing to stop it!”

      Hinata just stood there staring as Kenma let all of his problems tumble out of his mouth. He felt like he was going to be sick. He never wanted this, for Kenma to feel guilty about anything. He felt low and disgusting. Kenma needed to leave him. Go far from him so he could never make him feel like that ever. He had to hurt him.

    “…What do you know about my pain? You’ve never had something you cared about and devoted your entire life to ripped away! You quit playing, but I’m the one who gets injured. This has nothing to do with you and it never has. I hate everyone pitying me or feeling sorry for me, but God, I think it’s even worse coming from you.”

      His words hit hard, shaking Kenma completely. His eyes trailed down to the ground, tears still silently falling from them. He could be angry over what Hinata said. He could leave and just let Hinata be alone. There’s so many things he could do, and maybe he’d be justified in doing it, but he just wanted to get through to Hinata for once. He took a steady breath and kept speaking.

“You’re right, I don’t know anything about how you feel and I shouldn’t say that I do…but please help me to understand.”

Something broke in Hinata. It didn’t make sense. All of the stuff he just yelled at Kenma. All of the cruel things he’d done the last few days. He still wanted to be there for him.

     “Why do you care so much about me like this?! I’ve done nothing but push you away and I’m causing you nothing but guilt. I’m toxic Kenma! All I’ll do is hurt you, so why are you trying so hard to help me?” He sank down to the floor with broken sobs drowning out his words. He felt hands gently lift his head. Kenma’s eyes were just as red and puffy as his were, but he had a tiny smile on his face.

“You can be really dense sometimes Shouyou. It’s obvious isn’t it? I love you. We’re supposed to be here for each other when stuff gets hard.”

Kenma pulled him into a warm embrace. Their heads rested on each other’s shoulders.

“I won’t always understand what you go through, but I’m gonna try as much as possible to. I’m not going to leave you, ok?” He whispered into Hinata’s ear. He nodded slowly.

      They broke apart a moment later still a little teary eyed and shaky. That was definitely the most emotionally exhausting confrontation either of them had dealt with. Both of them knew that there was a difficult road ahead of them, but Hinata felt better that he wasn’t going to have to go through it alone.

“We should probably go to sleep now…I’ve got an early class tomorrow.” Kenma mentioned.

They began to walk to their bedroom with their hands connected and their fingers intertwined. Hinata pulled back for a moment. Kenma felt the tug and looked up confused.

“I didn’t say it earlier but…I love you too.”

      The confession was met with a smile. “I know.” He kissed his cheek and pulled him into the room. For the first time in awhile, both men slept tangled in each other’s arms. There was light in Hinata’s smile again, and Kenma definitely recognized that.

**Author's Note:**

> ok I'm not that bad...kinda  
> (you can come yell at me at zari-luna on tumblr)


End file.
